Pre-production
Pre-production
Concept Development
- Define the purpose or main outcome you wish for the moving image.
- Brainstorm ideas and draft an initial concept.
- Conduct market research if required, to validate or develop your concept.
- Make a project proposal defining the intention, purpose and creative process.
Story Development
- Outline your story and develop your characters.
- Write a treatment; a short narrative summarising the idea.
- Expand this treatment into a script, if necessary for your production.
- Implement any desired themes or messages into your story.
Planning
- Conduct risk assessments for all possible shoot locations.
- Develop a production schedule; sequence and timeframe of your shoot.
- Draw storyboards or make animatics detailing how each scene will look.
- Research and organise your equipment needs such as cameras, microphones, lights etc.
- Plan out your cast and crew; who you will need and their responsibilities.
Funding and Legal Considerations
- Consider budget constraints and plan your costs through a budget sheet.
- Secure permissions to shoot from location owners if required.
- Review relevant copyright laws for your project.
- Obtain release forms from actors, extras or anyone involved in your project.
Creative Elements
- Develop a visual style for your project, considering elements like colour, lighting, and composition.
- Establish an audio style you want to implement, considering sound effects, music, and dialogue.
- Incorporate directorial decisions that will impact the storytelling, like pace, editing, and shot selection.
- Pre-plan post-production activities, such as editing and promotion.
Remember, pre-production is pivotal in ensuring a smooth development and production process for your moving image art. Effective planning can lead to fewer problems during the actual shoot and better end results.